Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1887-09-22
The Riots the Result of Their Irish
Policy.
HarcOurt Severely Censues the Gov
eminent.
The Right of Public Meeting Denied in
ireland Alone Mr.. Balfour
Thinks the Tory Policy
Will ''Conciliate''
the Irish.

LONDON, Sept. Fla the house of com
mons this afternoon on motion to go in
to committee on the appropriation bill,
Sir William Vernon Harcourt, Liberal,
called attention to the general policy of
the government in Ireland, especially
TO the invasion of the rights of the people
respecting the rights to hold public
meetings. He demanded that the house
be informed of the nature of the instruct
ions given the police in Ireland regarding
the line of action they are tie pursue in
respect 80 public meetings; also whether
the report is true that Gen. Sir Redvers
Butler resigned the post of under-secre-
tary for ireland, and what were the
reasons for his resignation. He claimed
that the IRISH people possessed in common
with the English the right to meet and
denounce the action of the legislative
branch of the government, and declared
that the attempts TO prevent the holding
of such meetings violated the common
law and constitution and were a fragrant
breach and denial of the fundamental
principles OF both, and wholly incompati-
bic with the existence of free government
or the rights of free people.
TORY ADVICE.
Some Tory journals had suggested that
m achine guns ought to be used against
the Irish people. (Cries of "What pa
per?') "St. James Gazette answered
the speaker, adding, "a typical Tory or
gan" The most detestable and scandal
Gus language had been used by the Times
Sir William went on; for the express pur-
pose of driving the Irish to revolt; Ian
guage such as never before degraded the
press of a free country. If the /!
advice of the Unionist papers had been
followed, what, between machine |
guns, eyictlons and Troy landlords, soon
very few Irish people would be left. He |
was confident, he said the Irish people |
would persist III the prudence and calm
ness they had already exhibited. Let the |
government try the experiment of their
new doctrine upon the people of Eng |
land. The country would make short
work of them. The heart of England |
was with the Irish in indicating the right
of public meeting and would support them |
until justice was done. Tho meetings |
must continue to be held in all parts of |
Ireland. Parnellite cheers. The |
governments dread of public meeting
SURPRISING MEETINGS.
Referring to Sir Williams contention
that the suppression of public meetings
was illegal, Mr.. Balfour said he did not
know at what period Sir William lost his
knowledge of law, but it was a matter of
history, under the common law of Ire
land, Sir William himself acted with
Gladstone and Forster in proclaiming
$50 meetings. (Cheers.) It was again and |
again stated, when these meetings were
bod 10 o1 0f
contain any new powers. The question
really was, not whether the governments
action vas legal, but whether it was poll
tic.
Regarding the Mitehelstown affair, Mr..
Balfour said it had been clearly ascer-
tanned that the action OF the police was
in the face of extreme provocation.
[Cries of "Oh," "Oh"]. The police were
assaulted with stones and blackthorn
sticks before they drew batons. Cries
of "No," "No." Not until they were
thrown into a crowd of horsemen, num-
Der wounded and the rest forced to fly
for their lives did they protect them
selves. The government believed in
firm administration of tho law. They
must ex pect little assistance from the OPP
position, bat undismayed by criticism
preserve in course that must end in the
Cancellation of ireland. Loud cheers.
THE MooNLIGHTERs.
Mr. Balfour, chief secretary for Ireland,
announced that telegram had been re-
ceived regarding an ARRAY ct Lisdoon-
varna last night. The dispatch stated
that five moonlighters lad been captured.
Constable Wheelan was killed and three
others seriously hurt A number of
rifles and and revolvers and a quantity of
ammunition had been captured. The
five men arrested were captured inside
of the house of Farmer Sexton. Two
more we're identified to-day. Farmer
Sexton, whom the gang meant to murder,
had been summoned by the league and
censured and he had promised to sur
render his farm, but he did not do so.
The gang thereupon entered his house
when the police who lay in ambush sur
prised them.
With regard to Gen. Butler, Mr.. Bal
four said he always acted in perfect har
mony with the present government. His
appointment as under-secretary for
Ireland was only tenn por-
airy, ana he resigned nov
simply because he desired not to delay
his return to the war Office and the sup
position that Gen. Buffers retirement
was due in the slightest degree to the
difference of opinion with him (Balfour)
was absolutely false.
rrI.s